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Specialist investigation and remedial specification relating to window frames has been the theme of the month with a total of nearly 400 windows individually assessed on three projects to inform the pre-tender process and to conform to the requirements of Conservation Officers. On one highly confidential project, H+R provided measured drawings of the different frames using 3D laser scanners Within the month, and amongst many other projects of interest, work started and was completed on a series of investigations at…

October has brought glorious sunsets and morning mists to the H+R head office at Netley House. Soon enough fires will be lit in the grates The Scottish theme of August and September has been continued with Southern office staff having to assist the North-West office to undertake extensive surveys at the David Livingstone Museum in Glasgow and at Riddles Court in Edinburgh. The latter is a very rare survival of 16th Century Edinburgh and was frequented by H+R staff when…

The Hebridian Isles have generated enquires in September with specialist investigative work commissioned to the principal historic houses on Canna and Mull. The logistics of transporting surveyors, Rothounds and equipment to the outer reaches of the British Isles can be challenging and in past years extensive visits have been undertaken to Skye, Lewis and Raasay H+R have undertaken a further appraisal for the new owners of Tottenham House in the Savernake Forest last visited in 2005 and 2013. A ‘sleeping…

A nautical theme returned during the month with client discussions focussing on HMS Victory and the renovation of timbers to a 1789 sailing ship on the Isle of Man. This lay for a large part of its life undiscovered within a walled up boat cellar. Masonry naval fortifications such as Fort Bovisand in Plymouth have longstanding issues relating to damp penetration and moisture retention that have to be managed and resolved prior to refurbishment and conversion. With this in mind,…

Mid-summer has brought top-end temperatures to many of H+R’s south-east and London projects and tans have been nurtured on roofscapes and on cherrypickers on various projects ranging from a row of buildings in Great Portland Street to Bassetts House, a masterpiece of 1900s style by Sir Aston Webb H+R’s programme has had a Scottish emphasis with work undertaken at Balnagown Castle and confirmation of appointment at Monzie Castle and the David Livingstone Museum. In addition, some of H+R’s building monitoring…

H+R have attended initial briefings at Clandon Park. We gave provisional consultancy on managed drying down of the structures and environmental monitoring, utilising our experience gained at Hampton Court Palace, Windsor Castle and Glasgow School of Art. We have achieved a prestigious commission at the Grade I listed Pitzhanger Manor, Ealing. Pitzhanger was the country residence designed by Sir John Soane for his own use. We will be undertaking a wide range of investigations, including flue mapping by Ground Penetrating…

The month opened with the tragic events at Clandon Park. The smoke resulting from the almost total loss of the fabric was witnessed from H+R’s main office at Netley House. One member of H+R, who is a retained fireman, worked through the night controlling the blaze and still reported at 9:00am the next day as usual for his day job as an H+R surveyor! The loss at Clandon is felt very keenly in the local area. H+R have regrettably been…

H+R have been appointed to undertake a series of Stage 1 ‘risk management’ investigations by a new developer client. The project is a series of 1900s buildings in Hampstead once belonging to King’s College, London. The area is notable for the fine architectural detailing of the period and we look forward to liaising with the Conservation Officer. One of the most sensitive and poignant commissions that H+R have undertaken was completed this month. The project involved specialist investigation and remedial…

This month has seen another large scale barn redevelopment on behalf of a developer, this time in Hampshire hot on the heels of the work undertaken for another developer on a complex of eight listed timber framed barns in Trumpington, Cambridgeshire. Work has started in earnest on the King Street, Covent Garden redevelopment where we have expanded our portfolio of specialist services to include acoustic performance. We also had the pleasure of returning to Earlham Hall, the law faculty at…

We enjoyed the opportunity to visit HMS Warrior in Portsmouth Historic Dockyard to undertake timber condition and timber species investigations in the very few areas of the ship that were not of iron construction – such as the magazine! This survey was informed by our investigation in 2014 of the Napoleonic-era HMS Unicorn in Dundee. In London, we were pleased to undertake specialist damp investigations at the Royal Academy of Engineering in Carlton House Terrace for the same Architect who…

The month was preoccupied with external investigations at Carriage Court in Covent Garden; the oldest pre-fabricated iron framed building in London and the first multi-storey ‘car park’ – but for horse drawn carriages! We investigated the iron framework as well as audited historic fixtures and fittings amongst other packages. Work has also continued on assessing building material performance at the contemporary Student Village buildings for Winchester University.

Confirmation has been given for H+R to start timber condition appraisals of the old Odeon Cinema in Bradford which on construction in 1930 had a seating capacity of nearly 4000. The roof area is the largest we have surveyed in 2014. It was a pleasure to revisit the Grade 1 roof structures of the Brighton Dome as part of the forthcoming major refurbishment. Perhaps as a reflection of being so close to the sea, it is easy to imagine the…